Silent Minds
by satinflower
Summary: An Aeris and Sephiroth story


This is my first fanfic, so please be kind. I wasn't sure what to rate it, so I settled with PG.Anyway this isn't supposed to be part of the game, or anything like that. This is just a little story about Aeris and Sephiroth. All Final Fantasy characters and names and everything in between belong to Square. Hope you enjoy.

Part One

She was alone in a forest. All around her were black shadows, but one of those shadows was different. One was him. She turned to the left, and then the right. Behind her she hear rustling. In her hand she clutched a glowing orb. Desperately she held it out in front of her, praying that the protect would work. Within an instant a shield formed around her. "I am safe." She said out loud. The trees closed in on her, and the sky was as black as pitch. Still Aeris felt safe within. Suddenly she saw him standing before her. His long silver hair was blowing, billowing around him. His green eyes glowed bright, full of Jenova. "You know why I am here." His voice filled her mind. "You can't hurt me." She answered. He stood before her now. "You know what I will do." Aeris wrapped her arms around herself. "I must be strong. I must finish what I started." He laughed and raised his arms. Aeris sawhis blade glimmering with the unseen power of Jenova. "I must finish what I started." She said again. His sword came crashing down, breaking through her barrier. "No!" She screamed.

"Aeris!" Her eyes opened. "Aeris are you alright?" She blinked her eyes and saw the scared faces of Tifa and Yuffie. "I,I,I, uh, am sorry." She said. Tifa brought Aeris close to her. "I was so scared, for a moment I though some one had gotten in our room." Aeris pulled away and walked to the window. "I guess it was just a nightmare." Yuffie said behind her. "You know sometimes I have really bad nightmares. So bad that I end up barfing." Tifa laughed. "No, I am serious." Yuffie said. Aeris looked at the stars shining brightly outside. She felt an arm around her shoulders. Aeris jumped. "Hey, its okay." It was only Tifa. "Want to talk about it?" Aeris shook her head. "It was nothing, just a bad dream, nothing more." She turned and walked back to her bed. "Let's get to sleep." Tifa and Yuffie each went back to there own beds. "Are you sure you are all right?" Tifa asked. Aeris nodded. "I am fine." 

Somewhere across the land Sephiroth woke from his sleep. She had been there again. Always her. He stood up and looked at the stars. They always calmed him when he was upset. Not that he ever let anyone know he was upset. He never showed his emotions. That was bad. That was weak, and the last thing Sephiroth could be was weak. Still he had ways of soothing his fears, with out letting anyone know. He cursed the girl that haunted his mind. She was always there. Not always talking, as a matter of fact she never talked, but he could always feel her presence in his mind. It wasn't like Jenova. No Jenova didn't always stay in his mind. She came and used him, when she was done she left him, only to return once more. Sephiroth hated the way he felt when Jenova was in his mind, but he couldn't stop her. No, she was Jenova after all, and he had certain responsibilities to her. 

Still even though the girl wouldn't leave his mind, Sephiroth found he didn't mind. He didn't feel so terribly alone. "Aeris." He said as he touched his forehead. He had only seen her but once or twice in person. She was so lovely. Her long dark hair, shining with the light of the planet. Her eyes filled with life. Her skin so fresh and pale with just enough color to be healthy. Oh how he would think of what her hair felt like, or what it would be like to run his fingers across her face. He shook his head. He couldn't go on thinking such foolish thoughts. He knew what was in store for the two, and so did she. They were destined. He thought back to the events that had taken place tonight. He thought of her, and the strength she possessed, for he was in her mind as well. She knew that as well. Still even with knowing all she knew, he never felt any hatred or anger from her. Quiet the opposite. Even in his weakest moments, the moments when he thought he would go mad, all he had to do was think of her and she pulled him back. 

Sephiroth walked over to the desk and looked at the maps that lay there. He knew where the party was, at all times. When Jenova at last wanted him to, he would find them easily. A smile formed on his lips, but it was not a smile of happiness. No rather a smile of sadness. He had no problem of disposing of the others, but he wondered what would happen when he came to her. Oh he knew the outcome of the battle, but what he didn't know is if she would still be in his mind. "No, she won't." He said. This scared him, and for a moment he thought of abandoning this whole mission. Yes he could let her go on with her life, and then he would never have to be alone. _Sephiroth. _He fell to the floor, his hands pulling at his head. "NO! I won't do it!" He screamed. _Sephiroth. _Writhing on the floor his eyes looked up ward and he answered.

"Yes Mother?" _You were thinking those thoughts again weren't you?_ "But Mother, I don't want to do this." _You must, it has been written. You can't change what will already be. _"Mother there has to be a way. She isn't evil. She is kind and pure." _And she would kill you at the first chance she had. No one cares about you, no one but me. She doesn't care for you. She hates you._ "No Mother, she doesn't. I feel no hate from her." _Silence!_ Sephiroth's body convulsed on the floor. _Is that weakness I see? No, not in my son. There couldn't be weakness in my son. You know what your destiny is._ Sephiroth stopped shaking. "Mother I." _Are you weak? _"No Mother, but I" _There are no buts, only yes and nos. Are you weak? _"No Mother." 

Part Two

Aeris had a strange feeling in her stomach. She had felt Sephiroth'spain and anguish the night before. She had felt his struggle. Still Aeris knew that she could not seem different to her friends. The less of this they knew the better. Right now they were walking around a town, buying new materia, and armor. It was one of the things Aeris enjoyed the most. The wind blew through her hair. "Hey." Aeris turned her head to see Cloud walking over to her. "Hi Cloud." He smiled. She loved Cloud so much, and some times she thought he loved her too.She felt something inside her mind shift. "I wanted to give you this." Cloud said and held out his hand. Aeris looked down and saw a glowing orb. "It is Protect." He said. "I figure if you are ever in trouble and I am not around this little guy can keep you safe, not that you will ever be in trouble without me there. What kind of body guard would that make me?" He smiled at her. "I just figure better safe then sorry, right?" Aeris took the orb in her hand and faked a smile. "Thank you Cloud." She said and kissed him on the cheek. Suddenly pain flashed through her mind. "Oh." She cried. Aeris began to fall to the ground, but Cloud caught her. "Aeris, what is wrong?" He asked. Aeris shook her head trying to clear the pain away. "Nothing, just something I ate. I am going to go to the inn and lay down." Cloud began walking with her. "Cloud, really I don't need your help." He stared at her with concern. She smiled. "Really I just need to sleep." 

Aeris felt the cool sheets under her. She turned over and stared at the ceiling. Her time was running out, and so was Sephiroth's. Soon Jenova would completely take over his mind, and then there would be nothing she could do. Aeris knew that it was time. She would wait till nightfall, and be on her way. Scared by knowing what the next few days held in store for her, Aeris tried to sleep. "I need rest," she said to herself, "I have a very busy day ahead of me." Her friends would be coming soon, to check on her and make sure she was all right. She must rest if she was ever going to fool them. 

Sephiroth knew it was time the moment Aeris did. He picked up his cape. He knew that finally the two would meet again, and he knew what the out come of their meeting would be. He slid his sword into it's sheath. He turned and headed to the door. _Look._ He turned and saw his reflection. "What am I doing?" He said. He felt her fear inside his mind. "Why must you make me do this?" He cried out, but no one answered. Your face is the last thing she will see, his reflection said. "Shut up!" He screamed as he threw a brush at the mirror. The glass shattering was deafening, and Sephiroth both welcomed this and questioned it. He watched as the shards fell and for a brief moment thought of taking one of them and slashing his throat. Then warmth flew through his mind, and he knew it was her. Always there when he was slipping away. Always the strength that he needed. Sephiroth looked one last time at his reflection in the broken pieces of glass, the turned and left.

Part Three.

Silently and quickly she made her way through he forest. The way she had planned it they would not notice she was gone till the next morning, giving more than enough time to get there. Yes she was afraid, she would be crazy not to be, but she knew what she must do. The forest was dark, and Aeris' dream came flooding back to her. "No, you must get control of yourself." She said. Down an unseen path she went, all the while knowing he was close. She could feel him. He will do what is right, she said in her mind. On she ran, praying that she would finish before he found her. She heard something move in the shadows. Turning all around she stared desperately hoping that something would give him away. In her hand she clutched the glowing orb that Cloud had given her earlier. "Oh how I wish he was here now." She thought. More rustling, he was near. She held the orb out and instantly a shield came around her. Then he stepped out of the shadows.

The two stared at each other for an eternity. "I am safe from you." She said. A smile formed on his lips. "You know why I am here." She nodded. "I am safe." He held his sword in front of him. "I must do what I am destined to do." They said in unison. Aeris saw the blade glistening above her head. It came crashing down. "No!" She screamed as it penetrated her barrier. She threw her arms up, in a feeble attempt to protect herself. The blade stopped, right above her head. Aeris looked up into Sephiroth's eyes. Go, she heard in her mind, go while I can still control myself. Aeris stood. "Are you." She started to say. Sephiroth stood. "Go!" He yelled at her. Still she stood there, wanting to leave, but frightened for what he was going through. His hand came down across her face. "Go!" He screamed, and this time she did.

Aeris ran, all the while feeling Sephiroth's mind be ripped apart by Jenova. Jenova of course was less than pleased with Sephiroth's compassion. Aeris felt him screaming. Yes, she could have shut the whole thing out if she had really wanted to, but Aeris wanted to help ease Sephiroth's pain. She couldn't leave him alone to face Jenova by himself. So she took blow after blow, each worse with the more steps she took. Then there was nothing. Aeris stopped dead in her tracks. This was the first time this had ever happened. Jenova had shut her from Sephiroth completely. Aeris delved deep into her mind and found where he was, but she was powerless to do anything for him. Not knowing how badly Jenova was harming his mind, Aeris knew that she must get to her destination before it was too late. 

Chapter Four

Aeris was at the alter, praying for Holy, when her mind opened and again she felt Sephiroth. Aeris was knocked over by the wave of emotions that overtook her. Pain, and loneliness, and fear crashed into her over and over. She felt like she was drowning. Aeris struggled to breath, but abandonment suffocated her. "Why did you leave me?" his mind asked her. She had been right all along. Startled Aeris tried to answer back. "I did not leave, she put a barrier between us. I never left, I was there the whole time." Aeris raised up and tried to concentrate on what she was destined to do. She kneeled again, and clasped her hands tightly together. Aeris began to pray for holy once more.

Aeris didn't know how much time had past when she felt the presence in the room change. Aeris looked up and saw Cloud enter. She smiled at him. He came, she thought. Then she noticed something in his eyes, and she knew at once what it was. She had felt him coming. "It's all right," she told him, "We all must fulfill our destinies." Aeris closed her eyes and waited for what she knew was coming. "No!" She cried out. Aeris opened her eyes and turned around. Sephiroth lay on the ground. "Why did you do that?" she asked. He smiled at her. "You were so kind, and never left me." Aeris felt tears streaming down her face. She watched as the life drained from his face. He looked up past her and smiled. "I can't here her any more."


End file.
